Miniature baseball game



Jan. 9, 1934. H. F. JACOBS MINIATURE BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fuso l-uAss 24mm agent Fusnou'r OUT BASEMAM u? INVENTOR, M r6 4,

' TTORNEY Z QQQZ M Jan. 9, 1934. H. F. JACOBS MINIATURE BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,942,429 irmm'roas nssansu. GAME Harold F. Jacobs, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 4, 1933.

Serial No. 855,199

3 Claims. (01. 273-89) This invention relates to a miniature ball game device in which the mechanism is designed to enable the various plays of the game to be under the individual control of the players on each side and the results of the plays to be dependent on the individual skill of the players instead of being merely the result of chance or operation of purely mechanical devices.

In carrying out the objects of the invention, I provide a game board, generally rectangular in shape and provided with the usual player's positions indicated thereon. A tree swinging bat mechanism is provided, without springs or any automatic controls, which allows a free swinging oi the bat forward and back and which is not connected or controlled by any mechanical connection with the pitching mechanism.

The pitching mechanism is arranged and designed to provide for the control of the delivery of the ball to the batter, both as to speed and direction, thus enabling the player operating the pitching device to simulate the actual delivery of the pitcher in the regular base ball game.

Receptacles or backstops, in the form of pockets, are provided at the several positions of the players in which the ball, if and when hit by the batter, is received. These are designed and arranged so that the players may imitate the throwing of the ball to any other player, to complete -double plays, put-outs, etc., as in the regular game.

The mechanisms for the return of the ball when batted, etc., as well as other features of the game will be apparent from the description of the device shown in the accompanying drawings as illustrative of the invention.

In the drawings, like parts in the several views have been given the same reference numeral.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a miniature ball game device illustrating one embodiment of the inven- 40 tion.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the delivery end of the pitching mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of the delivery end of the pitching mechanism, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the batting mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6-6 01' Fig. 5, showing the mounting of the batting mechanism.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail front view of the delivery end of the ramp where the balls are de-' livered to the players.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the batting mechanism, showing a modification of the mechanism tor swinging the bat.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the pitching mechanism, showing a modification oi the mechanism for the individual pitching oi the ball, which device may also be used for the basemen, fielders, etc., if desired.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing a modification oi the arrangement of the outer edge of the back-field, with receptacles or pockets which may be adjusted in size and position to suit the requirements of the players.

As shown in Fig. l, the usual iormof base ball field is indicated by the first base position 1, the second base 2, the third base 3 and the home position or batters position at 4. The pitcher's box is indicated at 5 and the catchers posi- 76 tion back of the batters position is indicated at 6. If the ball is pitched over the plate and not hit but passes through the middle passage into the opening '7, it counts as a strike but it it tells into either or the openings 8 or 9 it is a ball". I

The positions of the other players is indicated on the drawings and corresponds to the usual positions in the regular game.

The ball upon being batted or thrown falls through one of the openings into a ramp 10 positioned beneath the field board. This ramp is constructed with a sloping bottom, starting at the center field corner and running around the playing field back of the base lines between first and third bases, sloping gradually toward the center and converging into the delivery ramp 11, which extends to the outer edge of the board at 12. where a slide 13 (Figs. 7-8) is mounted in guides and operated by projecting finger pieces, 1414, to raise the same against a spring 15, which normally holds the same in closed position. This I slide control holds the balls in the ramp 11 until needed by the pitcher.

A ball is dropped by the pitcher through the opening 16 and rolls back against the plunger 17, which is drawn back by the knob 18 against the spring pressure of the spring 19 and released, shooting the ball forward through the runway or trough 20, which curves around to the pitcher's box 5 where it slopes upwardly (Fig. 4) to deliver the ball toward the batter, the speed and amount of rise in the path of the ball after leaving the delivery opening at the pitcher's x" depending upon the extent to which the plunger 17 110 is retracted upon starting the ball along its path through the runway 20. I

The runway 20 is also provided near its delivery end with resilient guide members, 21 and 22-, (Fig. 3) on opposite sides 01' the runway, which members are adjustable by means of the screws, 23-24, to the desired width, thus providing a guide for the ball through a path which may be more or less limited in width, thus afiect'ing the direction of the ball upon leaving the runway. The upwardly curving end of the runway 20 may also be flexible, as shown at 25 in Fig. 4, and its outer end supported by a pivoted member 26 by means of which its upward curvature may be adjusted, as desired.

The batting mechanism is of very simple construction and is entirely separate from the other mechanisms in order to provide for the individual operation of the hat by the player to simulate, as far as possible, the actual batting by a player in the regular game. This mechanism is shown or illustrated by two modifications, which will be described. The modification shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 comprises the bat 27 mounted in a post 28 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the base board of the device and a handle 29 also mounted in the post 28 and preferably extending in the opposite direction from the bat 27, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The bat 27 is preferably mounted in the post 28 so as to be readily removed, Ior insertion of a longer or heavier bat, etc. his is accomplished by means of the pin 30 which engages in a notch or hole in the bat when in position in the post 28, this pin 30 being resiliently held in position by means 01 the spring 31, as shown in Fig. 6. This permits a free swing of the bat at'any speed and through any angle desired by the player and, it will be obvious, the successful batting oi the ball will require and depend upon the individual skill oi the player, as in the regular game, which is the object to simulate as closely as possible.

Another form of operating mechanism for the bat is shown in Fig. 9, which provides for either right-hand or left-hand batting. The bat is mounted in either the post 32 or the post 34, which posts are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings and at the under side of the board are attached to disks, 33 and 35, respectively, which disks are connected by a link 36 and a link 37 being connected to one of the disks, 33, with its opposite end connected to a lever 38, pivotally mounted on the board at 39 and operated by the handle 40, causing the posts 32 and 34 to be rotated and the bat swung entirely under the individual control of the operator or player, as in the first arrangement described.

Instead of the pitching arrangement shown in Fig. 1, just described, a device constructed as shown in Fig. 10 may be provided, which provides somewhat more flexibility and individual control of the wall. This consists of a cup-shaped receptacle 41 resiliently and yieldingly supported by the ends of a curved spring 42, which is held or mounted near its middle upon a post 43 which is secured upon the board in the pitchers box 5. The ball is placed in the receptacle 41 and the player manipulates the same by finger pressure, to either side, up or down, and draws it back to the required extent so that, when released, the ball is shot forward, the direction and speed being thus under the control and dependent upon the skill of the player. The post 43 may be swung around so as to direct the ball toward the basemen or catcher at will. Also, similar ball-throwing devices may be provided for each baseman, fielder, etc., so that the plays of a regular game may be simulated to any extent desired, the success of the plays being, as will be obvious, dependent upon the individual skill with which the ball-throwing device is operated.

. on the board shown in Fig. 1. Similar stops may also be provided at the infielders positions.

Instead of these several stops being offixed width and located in fixed positions on the board, adjustable and removable stops, as shown in Fig. 11, may be provided, two ofsuch stops being shown at 44 and 45 arranged to be inserted in slots positioned around the outer edge of the board and the extension 46 over the auxiliary ramp 47 communicating with the main ramp 10. It will be readily seen that these stops 44 and 45 may be positioned at the desired distance from each other and in the desired position with relation to the field and thus increase or decrease the chance of making the desired play or score.

The arrangement of the several receptacles into which the ball may be driven by the batter and the relative difliculty of causing the ball to fall into any particular opening has been arranged with a view to making the possibilty of making the desired play or score correspond as closely as possible to the possibilities in the regular game, the object being to make each play depend upon the individual skill of the player operating the device and the several parts thereor, removing the element of chance, as far as is possible, and providing a game or skfll simulating closely the regular game of base-ball.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A miniature base ball game comprising a game board upon which a base ball field having player positions is simulated, a ramp mounted beneath the game board and provided with a sloping bottom converging toward the center into a delivery ramp, openings located at the several player positions through which the ball may drop into the first mentioned ramp, stops comprising resilient members positioned at said openlugs to deflect the ball, a spring operated device positioned at one end of a runway beneath the board for projecting the ball through said runway to the pitchers position and thence above the board to the batters position, a batting device comprising a free-swinging bat carried by a pivoted mounting entirely under the control of the player representing the batter independently of any other player or mechanism, means positioned in said runway for varying the speed and direction of the ball delivered to the batter, and openings located around the outfield into which the ball may fall into the first mentioned ramp indicating various plays determined by the direction of the batted ball.

2. A miniature base ball game comprising a game board upon which a base ball field having player positions is simulated, a ramp mounted beneath the game board and provided with a sloping bottom converging toward the center into a delivery ramp, openings located at the several player positions through which the ball may drop into the first mentioned ramp, receptacles adjustably positioned at each of said openings to deflect the ball, a number of openings arranged about the outfield between the players positions, receptacles adjustable in size and position positioned about said openings, a curved runway extending beneath the board from one side thereof to the p tcher's position, a spring operated and individually controllable device positioned at the outer end 01 said runway for projecting the ball therethrough to the pitcher's position and thence upwardly above the board to the batters position, a batting device comprising a free-swinging bat mounted upon a pivoted post which is operated by the player representing the batter entirely under his control independently of any other player or mechanism.

3. A miniature base ball game comprising a game board upon which a base ball field having player positions is delineated the outfield of which being bordered by receptacles into which the ball may be received to indicate various plays, a ramp mounted beneath the game board and provided with a sloping bottom converging toward the center field into a delivery ramp, a

ball releasing device at the outer end of said delivery ramp, openings located at the several player positions through which the ball may fall into the first mentioned ramp, receptacles positioned about said openings for deflecting and directing the ball thereinto, a runway beneath the board through which the ball passes from one side of the board to the pitcher's position and thence upwardly through an opening from an inclined end of the runway to the batters position, a spring operated device positioned at the outer end oi said runway for propelling the ball therethrough at varying speeds and entirely 'under the control of the player representing the pitcher independently of any other player or mechanism, and a batting device comprising a bat pivotally mounted and operated by a tree swinging movement by the player representing the batter and entirely under the control of the batter as to the speed and extent of the swing of the bat.

- HAROLD F. JACOBS. 

